South Sudan: Country Report | 2024

AI Generated Analysis based on UNHCR Forced Displacement Statisitics.

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Population Overview

South Sudan: A Crisis of Internal Displacement and Regional Spillover

The humanitarian landscape in South Sudan continues to be defined by the vast scale of internal displacement, compounded by the severe spillover effects from the crisis in neighbouring Sudan. The data reveals that of the 2.8 million people of concern within its borders, the overwhelming majority are internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees, who collectively account for nearly 90 per cent of the total. For years, IDPs have consistently constituted the largest single population group, with their numbers remaining above 2 million, underscoring the protracted nature of the internal conflict and instability.

Behind these stark numbers lies a demographic reality with profound implications for humanitarian response. The displaced population is overwhelmingly young, with a wide-based population pyramid indicating that children under the age of 18 constitute the largest segment. This youthful profile highlights a high dependency ratio and underscores the urgent and long-term need for targeted interventions in child protection, education, and maternal health.

The dynamics of displacement remained highly fluid in the past year. While the number of IDPs saw a significant decrease of over 292,000, or 12 per cent, this was counterbalanced by a dramatic influx of returnees. The returnee population grew by over 133,000 people, a substantial rise of 46 per cent. This trend is largely driven by the conflict in Sudan, compelling South Sudanese nationals who were refugees there to return, often to areas ill-equipped to receive them.

Simultaneously, the same conflict has reinforced South Sudan’s role as a critical haven for those fleeing violence. Refugees from Sudan now number over 487,000, representing the vast majority of all refugees hosted in the country. Together, these trends paint a picture of a deeply complex and interconnected protection crisis, where tentative progress on internal displacement is occurring amidst new and compounding emergencies driven by regional volatility.

Demographics

AI Insight: Treemap of populations of concern in South Sudan, where internally displaced persons and returnees constitute the vast majority of the total 2.8 million individuals., This treemap provides a hierarchical view of the 2,807,000 individuals classified as populations of concern in South Sudan as of 2024. The size of each rectangle is proportional to the number of individuals in that category.

The data, comprising seven distinct population types, is heavily skewed. The two largest categories, ‘Internally displaced persons’ (1,327,345 individuals) and ‘Returnees’ (approximately 1,180,000 individuals), dominate the visualization, collectively accounting for nearly 90% of the total population of concern. This highlights the profound and ongoing impact of internal conflict and instability on the people of South Sudan.

The remaining five categories are significantly smaller. These include ‘Refugees and asylum-seekers’ (258,943), ‘Host community’ (18,000), ‘Others of concern’ (1,289), ‘Stateless persons’ (1,338), and a category with a value of zero. The median value across all categories is 18,000, underscoring the vast disparity in scale between the top two groups and the rest. The visualization effectively communicates that the primary humanitarian challenge within South Sudan relates to internal displacement and the complex process of return.

AI Insight: Population pyramid of the age and gender of 12.4 million persons of concern in South Sudan, showing a very youthful demographic structure with the largest cohorts being children under 18., This population pyramid displays the age and gender distribution for 12,399,462 refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons, and other persons of concern in South Sudan for the year 2024. The data features 100% gender disaggregation.

The pyramid’s shape is expansive, with a very wide base and progressively narrowing tiers, which is characteristic of a young and rapidly growing population. This structure highlights a high dependency ratio, where a large number of children are supported by a smaller working-age population.

Key demographic insights: - Youth Population: The population is overwhelmingly young. Children aged 0-17 constitute the majority of the population. The largest single cohort is children aged 0-4, which includes the highest proportions of both males (approximately 19.2%) and females (approximately 21.4%). - Working-Age Population: The adult population, aged 18-59, represents a smaller proportion compared to the youth demographic. - Elderly Population: Individuals aged 60 and over form the smallest segment, with the lowest proportions for both genders (around 1.5%), indicating a low life expectancy. - Gender Distribution: Overall, there is a near-equal balance between males and females. The data indicates a slightly higher proportion of females (mean proportion of 0.102 across age groups) compared to males (mean proportion of 0.098).

For UNHCR and its partners, this demographic profile underscores the critical need for targeted humanitarian assistance focusing on child protection, education, nutrition, and maternal and child health services.

Geography & Movements

Regional Dynamics of Displacement: The South Sudan Situation

The protracted crisis originating from South Sudan continues to be one of the largest and most rapidly growing displacement situations in the world. An analysis of displacement trends from 2019 to 2025 reveals a dramatic and sustained increase in the number of forcibly displaced people from South Sudan, a figure that now dwarfs other displacement movements in the region. This escalating trend is driven by a convergence of persistent conflict, severe food insecurity, and the intensifying impacts of climate change, which continue to drive people from their homes in search of safety.

Behind these stark numbers lies a story of immense regional strain. The geography of this displacement is highly concentrated. Data from host countries illustrates that the overwhelming majority of South Sudanese refugees and asylum-seekers—over two million people—are hosted in a handful of neighbouring states, including Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya. The data reveals a profoundly skewed distribution; while 53 countries host at least one person from South Sudan, 75 per cent of these nations host fewer than 300 individuals each. This disparity underscores that the crisis is contained primarily within the immediate region, placing immense pressure on the resources and infrastructure of these host communities.

The complexity of regional movements is further highlighted by the fact that South Sudan is simultaneously a major host country itself. It provides refuge to hundreds of thousands of people, the vast majority of whom originate from a single neighbouring country, underscoring the deeply interconnected and often circular nature of displacement in this part of Africa.

Taken together, the data paints a clear picture of a major humanitarian crisis whose consequences are borne disproportionately by its neighbours. This concentration of responsibility highlights the urgent need for robust international support and equitable responsibility-sharing to assist both the displaced populations and the communities that have generously welcomed them.

AI Insight: Choropleth map of destination countries for displaced people from South Sudan, where the vast majority are hosted in a few neighboring countries., This choropleth map illustrates the global distribution of displaced populations originating from South Sudan as of 2024. The visualization includes data for refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons, and other people of concern to UNHCR.

A statistical analysis of the underlying data, which covers 53 destination countries, reveals a highly concentrated displacement pattern. The number of displaced persons per country ranges from 5 to a maximum of 975,079. The distribution is extremely skewed, with a median of only 45 individuals per country, while the mean is significantly higher at 61,600. This disparity highlights that a small number of countries host an overwhelmingly large share of the displaced population. Specifically, 75% of the host countries have 277 or fewer people from South Sudan. This confirms that the crisis is primarily regional, with neighboring countries like Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya bearing the primary responsibility for hosting those forced to flee.

Origin of Displaced Populations

AI Insight: Horizontal bar chart of the top 9 countries of origin for refugees in South Sudan in 2024, where one country accounts for the vast majority of the total refugee population., This horizontal bar chart displays the number of refugees in South Sudan by their country of origin for the year 2024, focusing on the top nine source countries plus an ‘Other’ category. The data reveals a highly skewed distribution. One country is the origin for a dominant majority of the refugees, with a population of 487,652. In contrast, the remaining countries contribute significantly smaller numbers. The median number of refugees from a source country is 1,910, indicating that half of the listed origins contribute fewer than 2,000 people. The values for other countries range from as low as 13 to a few thousand, underscoring the outlier status of the primary country of origin. The mean of 51,479 is heavily influenced by this single large value and is not representative of the typical source country population.

AI Insight: Alluvium plot of the forcibly displaced population by origin from 2019 to 2025, where the population from South Sudan constitutes the vast majority and shows a significant increasing trend over the years., This alluvium plot illustrates the evolution of the forcibly displaced population by their country of origin between 2019 and 2025. The data is presented in thousands of people and is categorized into three origin groups: South Sudan, Sudan, and ‘Other’.

Statistical Analysis: The most prominent feature of the chart is the overwhelming dominance of the population originating from South Sudan. This group’s flow, or band, is substantially larger than the other two combined and widens significantly over the seven-year period, indicating a strong and continuous increase in displacement.

The dataset, comprising 21 observations, shows population values ranging from a minimum of 26,410 to a maximum of 2,017,236. The heavily right-skewed distribution (mean of 600,132 vs. median of 308,193) is driven by the large and growing figures for the South Sudanese cohort in the later years.

In contrast, the flows for populations originating from Sudan and ‘Other’ countries are much smaller and appear relatively stable, showing only minor fluctuations. Their contribution to the total displaced population is minimal compared to that from South Sudan.

Context: From a UNHCR perspective, this visualization highlights the scale and escalating nature of the South Sudan displacement crisis. The dramatic growth in the number of forcibly displaced people originating from South Sudan underscores the impact of persistent conflict, political instability, severe food insecurity, and climate-related events within the country. This data is critical for humanitarian response planning, resource mobilization, and advocacy to address the root causes of displacement and support the affected populations.

Destination

AI Insight: Bar chart of the top 10 destination countries for forcibly displaced people from South Sudan as of 2024, where the distribution is highly skewed with a few neighboring countries hosting the vast majority of the displaced population., This vertical bar chart displays the top 10 destination countries for people forcibly displaced from South Sudan, current as of 2024. The data reveals a significant concentration of the displaced population in a small number of host nations. Statistically, the distribution is heavily right-skewed. While ten countries are listed, the number of displaced people they host varies dramatically, from a maximum of 20,096,417 in one country to a minimum of 3,693 in another. The median number of displaced people per country is 1,182,577, which is substantially lower than the mean of 4,407,055. This difference, along with a high standard deviation of approximately 6.5 million, underscores that a few countries host a disproportionately large number of people. This pattern is characteristic of displacement crises, where neighboring countries often bear the greatest responsibility due to geographical proximity. The chart effectively highlights the immense pressure on these primary host nations and points to the critical need for international support and responsibility-sharing for the South Sudanese refugee population.

Asylum System

Asylum Systems: Navigating Capacity Gaps and Inconsistent Outcomes

The data reveals a continued and significant need for international protection for people fleeing protracted crises, exemplified by the situation for nationals of South Sudan. Behind the stark numbers of displacement lie individual journeys for safety, which encounter asylum systems under immense strain. The annual volume of new asylum applications from South Sudanese nationals fluctuates significantly, with peaks reaching over 4,700 cases in a single year, highlighting the challenge for states to manage unpredictable surges in arrivals.

The validity of these protection claims is clear. Analysis of nearly 13,000 decisions for South Sudanese asylum-seekers in 2024 shows that a significant majority resulted in refugee status or another form of international protection being granted. This high recognition rate confirms the ongoing risks and persecution forcing people to flee. However, access to this protection remains starkly inconsistent across different host countries. The data uncovers a “protection lottery,” where the refugee recognition rate for a South Sudanese national can range from nearly 100 per cent in one country to less than 2 per cent in another. This disparity underscores a critical lack of harmonization in asylum practices globally, making the outcome of a claim heavily dependent on geography rather than on the merits of the case itself.

This global challenge is mirrored by the immense pressure on national asylum systems, particularly in countries that are simultaneously sources of and hosts to refugees. In South Sudan itself, the asylum system is critically overstretched. A widening gap between the cumulative number of new applications lodged and the decisions rendered has created a growing backlog, with applications outpacing decisions by a factor of nearly five to one by early 2024. This chasm signifies that national processing capacity cannot keep pace with new arrivals, leaving thousands of asylum-seekers in prolonged states of uncertainty. The decisions that are made within South Sudan show considerable variation by country of origin, with total recognition rates for the largest caseloads ranging from 19 per cent to 48 per cent.

Collectively, these trends paint a picture of a global asylum environment defined by a persistent gap between profound protection needs and the capacity of systems to respond effectively and consistently. Strengthening national asylum systems and promoting greater solidarity and responsibility-sharing remain paramount to ensuring that all those who seek safety can access it fairly and without delay.

AI Insight: Bar chart of asylum applications and decisions for nationals of South Sudan from 2019 to 2024, where the total number of cases shows significant annual fluctuation, with a peak of 4,708 cases in one year., This bar chart details the annual totals of asylum applications and decisions for individuals from South Sudan between 2019 and 2024. The data is aggregated by year and likely broken down by different stages of the asylum process. The analysis is based on 21 data points across this period. Statistically, the number of cases per category per year varies greatly, from a low of 0 to a high of 4,708. The median number of cases is 836, while the average is significantly higher at 1,364, indicating that a few years had exceptionally high case volumes which skewed the average upwards. It is important to note that these figures represent the number of applications, and one individual may have submitted more than one application.

AI Insight: Alluvial diagram of Refugee Status Determination decision outcomes for applicants from South Sudan in 2024, where the majority of the 12,893 decisions resulted in refugee status being granted or another form of protection., This alluvial diagram visualizes the flow and outcomes of 12,893 Refugee Status Determination (RSD) decisions for asylum-seekers from South Sudan recorded by UNHCR in 2024. The chart illustrates the pathways from initial application to the final decision categories.

Each vertical axis represents a stage or a decision type, and the colored bands (flows) connecting them represent the volume of individuals moving between categories. The thickness of each band is directly proportional to the number of decisions it represents.

Key decision categories illustrated include: - Refugee Status Granted: Individuals who have been officially recognized as refugees. - Complementary/Other Protection: Individuals who do not qualify as refugees but are granted protection for other reasons, such as subsidiary or temporary protection. - Rejected: Applications that have been denied. - Otherwise Closed: Cases closed for administrative reasons, such as the applicant withdrawing their claim or being unreachable.

Analysis of the flows indicates the recognition rate and processing outcomes for this population group. A significant portion of the decisions result in some form of protection, highlighting the ongoing protection needs of those fleeing South Sudan. The volume of ‘Otherwise Closed’ cases may also be a key area for operational analysis to understand the underlying reasons.

AI Insight: Area chart of cumulative asylum applications and decisions in South Sudan from 2020 to 2026, where the number of applications consistently exceeds decisions, resulting in a widening processing gap over the years., This area chart provides a comparative analysis of the cumulative number of asylum applications received versus the cumulative number of first instance decisions made in South Sudan between 2020 and 2026. The x-axis represents the years, and the y-axis shows the cumulative total count.

Two distinct area layers are plotted: 1. Cumulative Applications: The top layer illustrates a steep and continuous increase in the total number of asylum applications filed, rising from a low of 249 to a peak of 13,416 by 2026. 2. Cumulative Decisions: The bottom layer shows the total number of decisions rendered. While this number also grows over the period, its rate of increase is significantly slower than that of applications.

The most critical insight is the widening gap between these two layers, which visually represents the growing backlog of pending asylum cases. This gap signifies that the rate of new applications is substantially outpacing the processing capacity of the asylum system in South Sudan. The chart implies a significant increase in the average processing time for an asylum claim, leading to prolonged periods of uncertainty for applicants. This trend highlights a critical operational challenge, signaling a need to enhance processing capacity to manage the increasing caseload effectively.

Recognition Rates

AI Insight: A column chart of the Refugee Recognition Rate in South Sudan for 2024 by country of origin, where the rates for the top five countries by decision volume vary from 9.8% to 36.2%., This vertical column chart presents the Refugee Recognition Rate in South Sudan for 2024, focusing on the five countries of origin with the highest number of asylum decisions. Each country is represented by a column, with the height corresponding to its recognition rate percentage. Data labels on each column specify the exact rate.

The analysis covers five nationalities, for which a total of 2,462 decisions were made on average. The key metric, the Refugee Recognition Rate, averages 24.2% across these groups. There is considerable variation, with the lowest rate recorded at 9.8% and the highest at 36.2%.

The chart’s ordering is based on the total volume of decisions per country of origin (ranging from 51 to 7,575), not the recognition rate itself. This highlights the outcomes for the largest caseloads handled in South Sudan. For a more complete picture of protection, a related metric, the ‘Total Recognition Rate’ (including complementary protection), averages 36.4% and ranges from 19.0% to 47.6%, showing that a broader scope of protection is granted beyond formal refugee status.

AI Insight: Bar chart of 2024 refugee recognition rates for South Sudanese nationals by top 10 countries of asylum, where rates vary widely, ranging from nearly 100% to less than 5%., This bar chart displays the 2024 refugee recognition rates for asylum seekers from South Sudan in the 10 countries of asylum with the highest volume of decisions. The countries are ordered by the total number of asylum decisions made, not by the recognition rate itself.

The analysis of the underlying data for these 10 countries reveals a significant disparity in protection outcomes. The average refugee recognition rate is 40.9%, with a median of 33.5%. However, this average masks extreme variations: the rates range from a minimum of 1.85% in one country to a maximum of 99.7% in another. This highlights a ‘protection lottery’ scenario, where the likelihood of a South Sudanese national being granted refugee status is heavily dependent on the country where they seek asylum.

When including complementary forms of protection, the ‘Total Recognition Rate’ provides a broader view. The average for this metric is 56.4%, with a median of 76.3%, indicating that in several countries, a substantial number of positive decisions fall under complementary protection statuses. Nonetheless, the wide range persists. The total number of decisions across these countries varies significantly, from 863 to 33,340, confirming that the chart includes both large and small caseload countries.

Solutions

Solutions for South Sudan’s Displaced

The path to durable solutions is rarely linear, often marked by progress that can be as fragile as the peace upon which it is built. The trajectory for South Sudanese refugees provides a compelling case study of this complex reality. A period of significant achievement was recorded in 2019, when more than 276,000 individuals found a solution, likely linked to specific repatriation programmes and regional peace initiatives.

However, this momentum proved difficult to sustain. The subsequent years witnessed a stark reversal, with the number of solutions decreasing dramatically to just 927 by 2022, underscoring the profound challenges in securing lasting stability. Behind these numbers, the data reveals a critical dynamic: solutions, though volatile, have primarily been sought for the existing protracted refugee population rather than new arrivals. For instance, in 2023, while 14,655 solutions were achieved, only 286 individuals were newly recognized as refugees from South Sudan. This wide gap highlights that concerted efforts are focused on resolving the circumstances of those in long-term displacement.

While a modest recovery in solutions was observed in 2023, planning figures for 2025 signal a potential turning point. A projection of over 110,000 solutions represents a renewed and ambitious commitment from host countries and the international community. This fluctuating trend highlights an essential truth: while large-scale solutions are achievable, they are intrinsically linked to sustained political will, regional stability, and the dedicated resources required to translate plans into life-changing realities for the displaced.

AI Insight: Bar chart of durable solutions for forcibly displaced people from South Sudan from 2019 to 2025, where the number of solutions peaked in 2019 at over 276,000 and decreased significantly in subsequent years., This bar chart displays the annual trends in durable solutions for South Sudanese people forcibly displaced across borders, covering the period from 2019 to 2025. The vertical axis represents the number of individuals achieving a solution, while the horizontal axis denotes the year.

The data shows a significant peak in 2019, with 276,463 solutions recorded. This was followed by a decrease in 2020 to 174,463 solutions. There is no data available for 2021. A dramatic drop occurred in 2022, with only 927 solutions reported. The number saw a slight recovery in 2023 to 14,655. The data for 2024 appears incomplete, showing only 64 solutions as of the reporting date. A substantial increase is projected for 2025, with a planning figure of 110,272 solutions.

Overall, the trend indicates a period of high solution implementation in 2019-2020, which may correlate with specific repatriation programs or peace initiatives, followed by a severe downturn. The low numbers from 2022 onwards highlight significant challenges in achieving durable solutions for this population, with a potential rebound anticipated in 2025.

AI Insight: Line chart of refugee recognitions versus available solutions for South Sudan from 2019 to 2025, where the number of solutions is highly volatile and significantly outpaces new recognitions, especially in 2023 and projected for 2025., This time-series line chart compares the number of refugee recognitions with the number of available durable solutions for individuals from South Sudan, with data spanning from 2019 to a projection for 2025. The x-axis represents the year, and the y-axis represents the count of individuals.

Detailed analysis of the two series: 1. Refugee Recognitions (blue line): This metric remains relatively low throughout the period. It starts at 188 in 2019, dips to 117 in 2020, and rises to 286 by 2023, with a notable value of zero recorded for 2022. The numbers see a significant jump to 1,473 in 2024 and are projected to be 1,503 in 2025.

  1. Available Solutions (teal line): This series demonstrates extreme volatility. There were zero solutions recorded in 2019 and 2020, and data is missing for 2021. The count then jumps to 927 in 2022 and skyrockets to 14,655 in 2023. This is followed by a sharp drop to just 64 in 2024, but is projected to reach an unprecedented high of 110,272 in 2025.

The primary insight from the chart is the vast and growing gap between new refugee recognitions and the provision of solutions. While recognitions have increased, the number of solutions, despite being inconsistent, has been significantly higher in most years (2022, 2023, and projected 2025). The data for 2025, in particular, suggests a major planned initiative for durable solutions for the South Sudanese refugee population.